Broken electrode retrieving means



Aug. 19, 1947.

s. w. KEMOCK BROKEN ELECTRODE RETRIEVING MEAN 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1944 Inventor 5751/5 h/ AEMOCK, 2A.. and

1 s. w. KEMOCK 2,426,105

BROKEN ELECTRODE RETRIEVING' MEANS 'Filed June 19 1944 a sheets-sheet 2 I g 571/ M KEM W W ms Inventor Aug. 19, 1947. s. w. KEMOCK BROKEN ELECTRODE RETRIEViNG MEANS Filed June 19, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 V Inventor 5751/: h/ A E/wc/r,

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Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mean for removing from electric furnaces, broken electrodes and other articles in a convenient and safe manner.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a retrieving device in the form of tongues which can be pushed into an electric furnace for the purpose of seizing broken electrodes and other articles therein and removing the same, without the necessity of first permitting the furnace to cool down.

Other objects and advantage of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of an electric furnace and showing in top and fragmentarily, the retrieving means.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of one modification of the retrieving means.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the tongs of the retrieving means.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the jaws of the retrieving tongs.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view of a further modification of the retrieving means.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 denotes an electric furnace having a charging door opening 6.

For the purpose of retrieving broken electrodes or like objects from the inside of the furnace 5 a retrieving device generally referred to by numeral 3 is provided which is mounted on the head Ha. This head is similar to the conventional charging box head by means of which a charging box is carried on a standard charging machine.

The usual type of charging machine, for instance, the type used in connection with electric furnaces, comprises a trolley and a car for moving the equipment towards and away from the furnace or in front of the furnace respectively. This machine comprises a ram, pivotally supported on said car which may be lifted and lowered and which can be rotated around its own axis, a movement usually called "twisting of the ram.

The ram of this machine is used to carry the device described below performing the retrieving operation. The charging machine with its trolley and car has however not been shown as it is well known in the art.

The ram of the charging machine is designated in the drawing by the reference numeral 9. It is supported by a frame Illa provided with a pivot [0b which in it turn is supported by a frame l0 fixed on the car.

The electrode retrieving device is mounted on a head Ha the construction of which is practically the same as that of the head of a conventional charging boX. It comprises a projecting square support member l2 into which the square head of ram 9 fits and is held by a lock rod lZa.

The head Ha carries a frame structure H on which grapple arm I4, I 4 are pivoted near their ends, by means of pivots l5. The ends of the arms I 5, l4 projecting beyond the pivots I5 are connected by pivoted links IE to a block I1. Said block is provided with an opening through which a pin l8 passes having a thickened head l8a at one end and an eye l9 at its opposite end. A chain 20 is fastened to the eye IS on one side and to a cable 2| on the other side and said cable is wound on a pinch 3| which i mounted on the frame [0 supported by the car.

The outer or gripping ends of the arms [4 are provided with removable jaws 22 preferably equipped with gripping spurs, knife edges, teeth or other protuberances 23 facilitating the gripping of the electrodes.

The plane in which the grapple is arranged and in which the grapple arms move is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ram and the inclination may be such that said longitudinal axi passes through a line connecting the pivots as shown in Figure 5. The fixed point on the grapple facilitates the operation for the operator standing at a remote point.

During a retrieving operation, the retrieving device is mounted on the ram in place of the charging box and may be lowered, lifted and tilted by means of the ram.

As will be clear the grapple may not only assume any desired height above the bottom and follow the inclination of the ram but may, by using the so-called twisting movement of the ram, also be brought into such inclined positions that it may seize a broken electrode whatever its position within the furnace.

The details of the operation of the grapple will be clear from the foregoing description.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

1. A device for retrieving broken electrodes from electric furnaces, adapted to be attached to the ram of a charging machine, mounted for a swinging movement and for a twisting movement around its longitudinal axis on the said machine, comprising a head, a coupling means for detachably fixing it on the ram, a frame carried by said head, a grapple structure carried by said frame, said frame and grapple being arranged substantially within a plane inclined with respectto the longitudinal axis of the ram, said grapple structure consisting of two grapple arms pivoted on said frame and provided with gripping jaws at one end, and means including links pivoted to the grapple arms, and a centrally arranged member for controlling the gripping movement of said grapple arms and jaws from a distance. 2. A device for retrieving broken electrodes from electriocfurnaces adapted to be attached to the ram of a charging machine, mounted for a swinging movement and for a twisting movement around its longitudinal axis on the said machine, comprising a head, a coupling means for detachably fixing it on the ram, a frame carried by said head, a grapple structure carried by said frame,

what is said frame and grapple being arranged substantially within a plane inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ram, said grapple structure consisting of two grapple arms, a pivotal connection for each of said arms on said frame, the longitudinal axis of the ram passing between said pivotal connections of the grapple arms, gripping jaws on one end of said grapple arms, pivoted links arranged on the other end of the same, a centrally arranged member pivoted to said links, and traction means attached to said member operated from a distance for moving the grapple arms.

STEVE W. KEMOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 410,108 Kennedy Aug. 27, 1889 539,982 Dinkey May 28, 1895 853,483 Taylor May 14, 1907 888,175 Kendall May 19, 1908 1,439,245 Knapp Dec. 19, 1922 1,731,970 Carlson Oct. 15, 1929 2,016,683 Moore Oct. 8, 1935 

